Bitmap graphics in separations are printed incorrectly in Publisher 2002

When you print separations from within Microsoft Publisher 2002, some bitmap pictures (raster or photographic type graphics) may be printed incorrectly in one of the following ways:

• These pictures may be missing from the black plate.
• These pictures may appear distorted.

These symptoms occur under the following conditions:

• Your publication contains at least one bitmap picture.
• Your publication is set up for process color printing.
• You are using one of the commercial printer drivers that are included with Microsoft Publisher 2002, either the Microsoft Publisher Color Printer or the Microsoft Publisher Imagesetter.
• You print CMYK separations.

A property setting within the Microsoft Publisher Imagesetter driver and the Microsoft Publisher Color Printer driver determines how certain print information is processed. During separations, Publisher 2002 sends only black and white information to the PostScript printer driver. If the driver is set up to receive color information, pictures may be printed incorrectly.

The correct color setting for the Microsoft Publisher Imagesetter driver and the Microsoft Publisher Color Printer driver is Black & White. Follow these steps to configure this setting for the selected publication only:

1. Open your publication. On the File menu, click Print.
2. In the Print dialog box, make sure that the printer selected is the Microsoft Publisher Imagesetter or the Microsoft Publisher Color Printer, or another PostScript printer that is set up to use the generic Microsoft Publisher Imagesetter or the Microsoft Publisher Color Printer as its driver. Click Properties.
3. In the Selected Printer Properties dialog box, click the Paper/Quality tab.
4. In the Color section, click Black & White, and then click OK.
5. Print your separations.

Follow these steps to configure the Black & White setting for all publications by changing the global setting for your printer driver:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Printers.
2. In the Printers dialog box, right-click the appropriate printer driver, and then click Properties on the shortcut menu.
3. In the Selected Printer Properties dialog box, click Printing Preferences on the General tab.
4. Click the Paper/Quality tab. In the Color section, click Black & White, and then click OK.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.